Argentina gay marriage

Past Wednesday, July 4th, Argentina’s Senate approved the same-sex marriage law that provides equality to same-sex and heterosexual couples. Popularly known as “gay marriage”, this law was approved after a heated debate on the Upper Chamber that opposed supporters of the gay community and Catholic spokesmen.

At Argentina’s federal district, Buenos Aires city, there was a “Civil Union” law which allows same-sex couples to bring a legal status to their lifes. This new federal law gives same-sex couples exactly the same legal status as traditional heterosexual marriage including the possibility to adopt a child thru national adoption system.

Back in 2001, the debate had been started in the Netherlands when gay marriage law was promoted and approved for the first time. Then Belgium, Canada, Spain followed the same direction. Nowadays there are 10 countries that accept and recognize the marriage of same-sex people with the same status than heterosexual couples.

The possibility of adopting a child generated heated debates. Many opponents to the Argentina’s law of gay marriage have shown their homophobia within this point. Tolerance, almost always, has shown clear limits: “you exist as a couple and you can live at the same home so we won’t bother you, that’s all”. No adopting was previosly allowed. Detractors of the law considers that same-sex couples are abnormal and undesiderable so they are not suitable for rising a child.

The gay marriage law has not only set Argentina at the top of countries fighting the gay discrimination but opened a path of possibilities and happiness for all the gay local community. It is not only Buenos Aires, the big city, but a whole country wich assumes that same-sex couples are, essentially, equal than heterosexual ones. Now argentinian man and women have free path for show it, be happy and make history.